Cables, cables, and more
cables! That's what it looked like when a fellow member of the Los Angeles and
Orange County Audio Society, brought me a box of interconnects, power cords,
digital power cords, and digital interconnects for review. Bill Artope is the
West Coast representative of the Chicago-based company Dynamic Design. The
company slogan is "Where Neutrality Becomes Reality." Most of the cables Bill
brought came from their Lotus White series, just above their entry-level Lotus
Blue series. The line also includes the Heritage series Silver Meidland and
Platinum cables, the more exotic Nebula series THB, and the top-of-the-line TBK.
The company was founded in 2000, although, according to the company's website (www.dynamicdesignav.com),
they have been making
cables since 1994. The company's founder, Olufemi A. Sonuga, says that they
consider everything—from the conductor, insulation, jacket, shielding,
grounding, and connectors—in their attempt to achieve minimal alteration of the
signal. For example, they use a concentric array of ultra-thin-wall, low-storage
insulators in what they call a Multi Layer Insulation System, as well as
Unitized Multilayer Shields to give low noise, low total and coupling
capacitance, high-purity bi-metal (copper and silver?) or ultra-high-purity
bi-metal conductors, and Resonance Control Multi-Layer jackets to protect and
damp the cables. My review is the result of spending several months with these
well constructed, hefty, and attractive cables.

The system I used to
evaluate the Dynamic Design cables consisted of JM Lab Mezzo Utopias, Kora
Cosmos amps (upgraded with Dynamicaps), a Muse 8 transport connected by a Marigo
Ref 3 digital cable to a Kora Hermes II DAC (also with Dynamicaps), a McIntosh
MR-78 tuner updated by Classic Audio, Goertz MI-2 copper speaker cables,
Wireworld Eclipse III+ interconnects, and a PowerWedge 116II power conditioner.
I use the transformer-filtered outlets only for low-powered and digital
electronics, i.e., the DAC, tuner, and transport. The preamps I used included
the Kora Triode and Cary/AES-3 DJH. The power cords included Eichmann Series 2
for the amplifiers, a previous-generation Mapleshade Omega Mikro for the preamp,
a modestly-priced older Marigo cord for the transport, and a Yamamura Millenium
500 for the DAC.

I first hooked up what I
thought was the Lotus White digital interconnect ($350/meter) between the
transport and DAC, but on careful inspection, I discovered that it was actually
the much more expensive Nebula THB ($1000/meter). I guess I have expensive
taste, because I loved this cable! On CD after CD, voices took on greater
texture and vividness, piano had more subtle tonality and better dynamics and
clarity, and stringed instruments sounded more precise, with the leading edge of
the bowing balanced by the resonance of the instruments. I thought my old Marigo
Reference 3 was as good a digital cable as I would ever need, but the Dynamic
Design cable did just as well in dynamics yet improved deftness and tone.

I brought the cable to the
home of Art Shapiro, fellow Positive Feedback reviewer and classical
piano fanatic. He had been using a Nordost Silver Shadow digital cable between
his Wadia 3200 transport and Kora Hermes II DAC because of its smooth, natural,
yet dynamic character. After listening to recordings of classical piano, two
pianos, pipe organ with saxophone, orchestral music, and male and female voice,
we reached the same conclusion—the Dynamic Design Nebula THB digital
interconnect was the best we had heard, in both his system and mine. I then
called Bill to ask him to send a Lotus White digital cable for
comparison. Although the results were surprisingly similar, the Lotus White was
not quite as refined or dynamic. It gave, say, 85 percent of the performance of
the Nebula THB for one-third the price. The Lotus White was comparable to our
best digital cables, but the Nebula was a nice step up. Subsequently, Art and I
both purchased a Nebula. Bill reported that after our initial audition,
the company improved the terminations on all of their cords, and I can report
that on Art Shapiro's system, the Nebula with the new termination sounds as good
or better than the previous version of the cable.

Next up were the Lotus White
interconnects ($750/meter). I connected one pair between the Kora DAC and either
the Kora Triode or Cary preamp, and another between the preamp and the Kora
amplifiers. I also tried a pair in Bob Levi's SET system, with similar results.
In that case, they were connected between his E.A.R. 834L preamp and his maxed-out
Cary 300B stereo amplifier. We left the existing cables between his Denon 2200
universal player and the preamp. The Cary, which was plugged in with an
Audioquest power cord, was equipped with EAT 300B output tubes, and was hooked
to a pair of Paradigm Studio Ref 20 v3 loudspeakers by very high-end Kimber 3038
Silver Select speaker cables. When we compared the Lotus White interconnects to
the high-value Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway MK3s, both interconnects worked
well, but the Lotus White had a bit more warmth and slightly better texture. The
Dynamic Design Lotus White interconnects are very good. Their construction is
impressive, and the connectors plug solidly into the gear. These cables do just
about everything right. They are very dynamic, clear, and nearly neutral, with
just a hint of warmth, depending upon the system.

I then substituted an 8-foot
pair of Lotus White speaker cables ($1300) for my Goertz MI-2s. This took a bit
of effort due to their relative bulk, and the European-standard binding posts on
my Kora Cosmos amp. These cables are pretty hefty for a near-entry product.
Having already heard the Dynamic Design digital and analog interconnects, there were
no surprises. The Lotus White speaker cables sounded solid and well balanced,
and gave the music a bit more energy and weight. I was starting to recognize a
pattern, perhaps due to Dynamic Design's consistent design philosophy.

You'd think that power cords
wouldn't matter, but they have become a factor in the sound of a system. I
compared the Lotus White power cords ($750/6 feet) to Art Shapiro's Gutwire
Power Clefs and my Eichmann Express series 2 cords on the Kora Cosmos
amplifiers. I tried them directly into both the dedicated outlets and the
non-transformer outlets of the Power Wedge. The changes in tonality were subtle,
with the Gutwire giving the best dynamics, slight warmth, and the most vivid
tone. The Eichmanns had a leaner tonal balance, and the Dynamic Design power
cords fell in the middle, with good dynamics and a relatively neutral tonal
balance.

Next up were the power cords
specially designed for digital applications, the VLTs ($1500/6 feet). They have
a small battery holder, with two AA cells that can be Velcroed to a collar on
the cord. Since I have both a transport and a DAC, I needed two of these
battery-shielded power cords. Trying just one, on either the DAC or the
transport, didn't help nearly so much as using them on both. Since separate DACs
and transports are becoming less common, most listeners will need only one
digital power cord. With the electrical shielding turned on, the VLTs seemed to
bring the music into greater focus, and the background was quieter. I also
tried them on Art Shapiro's system, where we alternated turning on the
additional shielding and turning it off. We both preferred them on. It was
almost a game to turn the shields on, then off, then on again, paying attention
to the sonic differences on a variety of recordings. The cords worked well, even
when off. According to the Dynamic Design website, battery life is measured in
months. I imagine you could stretch the battery life a lot longer if you turn
off the shielding when it's not in use.

I enjoyed my time with the
Dynamic Design cables. The Lotus White cables make a strong statement at their
price point, reflecting the vision of their designer. The Nebula THB digital
interconnect gave me a glimpse into the world of the very high end. The VLT
active power cords can help quiet some of the noise that can be introduced into
an audio system. Dynamic Design cables should be on your consideration list.
Mark Katz

Recordings used to evaluate
the Dynamic Design cables included the following: